Black tea promotes weight loss
A group of researchers from the University of California – Los Angeles have demonstrated that black tea may be helpful in promoting weight loss by altering the bacteria found in your gut. Using mice models, the researchers were able to change the ratio of intestinal bacteria so that obesity associated bacteria were replaced with lean mass associated bacteria. Previous studies have highlighted polyphenols in green tea, which get absorbed and alter energy metabolism in the liver, this study has shown that black tea polyphenols, which are too large to be absorbed also stimulate growth in the gut bacteria.
During the study the mice were split into groups and fed varying diets and green and black tea extracts, samples were then collected from their intestines and livers (to measure fat deposits). In mice that had been given the black tea extract there was an increase in a bacteria called Pseduobutyrivibrio, which may explain the differences between the effects of green and black tea. The researchers are hoping to continue this body of work and further examine how we can alter our gut microbiome.
Read MoreRecommendations for weight management in women
A group of researchers from the Mayo Clinic have led a review of weight gain risks and challenges faced by women in midlife; this has led them to propose a series of recommendations for this patient group. They found that the average weight gain for women in their 50s and 60s was 1.5 pounds per year, with much of that weight being abdominal, which is linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. The researchers were particularly interested in this group due to the challenges of maintaining a healthy weight that these women face. Mood changes, sleep disturbance, hot flushes and many other symptoms of the menopause can disrupt what may have been a previously healthy life.
They recommend that primary care providers screen this patient group for overweight, and establish behavioural interventions (including psychological support) early. Further to this, management of menopausal symptoms is of importance as it enables women to focus on health lifestyle changes, this could be done using hormone replacement therapy. By targeting the lifestyle habits during midlife, further negative health consequences can be avoided in the future.
Read MoreWeight loss at any age results in cost savings
A study from Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health has suggested that helping an adult lose weight leads to significant cost savings. The peak for these savings is when the individual is 50 years old. These costs include direct medical costs as well as productivity losses over their lifetime, further to this weight loss from obesity to overweight, or overweight to a healthy weight both show savings. However, finishing at a healthy weight is associated with a larger saving.
For the study itself the researchers developed a computational simulation to represent the adult population of the USA, this also showed the lifetime costs and health effects for an individual with obesity, overweight, and a healthy weight. The simulation also took into account medical costs to insurance companies, as well as direct medical costs and productivity loss due to sick days. Many previous simulations have only taken into account one or two chronic diseases that are a consequence of obesity, this study included a range in order to make the predictions more accurate. It is hoped that the results of this study can be used to inform policymakers about the specific costs of obesity and therefore design more effective interventions that can be targeted at particular patient groups.
Read MoreTailoring obesity treatment by slowing stomach emptying
Liraglutide is a medication that is already used to treat Type 2 Diabetes and obesity. A recent study has shown that injections with the drug over a three month period are associated with a marked slowing of stomach emptying, and could therefore be used as an effective weight loss therapy. The authors found that the degree of stomach emptying delay was significantly associated with the amount of weight lost for that individual. For the study, 40 individuals with BMIs greater than 30 kg/m2 were randomised into a treatment group and a placebo group, measurements were then taken on a weekly basis for 16 weeks.
Using this information, it may be possible to measure the degree of stomach emptying delay and use the figure as a predictor of weight loss, thereby helping to tailor specific programmes. Individualised treatment based on the unique response of the patient will ensure that they are receiving the best therapies whilst also reducing the chances of using treatments that aren’t likely to help.
Read MoreNight shifts increase chance of obesity
A recent meta-analysis has found that night shift work is associated with a 29% increased risk of overweight and obesity. The analysis itself involved 28 studies and has been published in Obesity Reviews. It recommended that people should modify working schedules as much as possible to avoid prolonged and permanent night shift work. The authors have also suggested that the risk of overweight is increased due to the disruption of the body’s natural cycles (known as circadian rhythms), for example, melatonin plays a key role in synchronising your internal clock. It also regulates the release of various hormones that are metabolically active and therefore influence your weight. Circadian disruption itself is a consequence of exposure to light at night, which can suppress the amount of melatonin that you produce.
It was also highlighted in the study that night shift workers had a higher frequency of developing abdominal obesity than other obesity types. The authors are hoping to carry out more accurate and detailed measurement on shift work patterns in the future.
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